Campbell, Idaho Frazer

From Lane Co Oregon

IDAHO COGSWELL FRAZER CAMPBELL

Idaho Cogswell was born January 16, 1864, the fifth child of Cogswell, John and Mary Cogswell, on the McKenzie River donation claim, at the foot of the Coburg Hills, four miles east of the Coburg Bridge, near the mouth of the Mohawk River.

She started her education in the school house built by her father on his place. Her name is listed as attending the University of Oregon Prep. School and the University 1881-1882, 1882-1883, 1883-1884. Her schooling was interrupted by the illness of her sister, DeEtta, who she took to Santa Barbara, Calif. (by boat) to try to regain her health, the Winter of 1885-86.

The year after her sister passed away, her mother died of Typhoid fever, in 1887. The following year, June 17, 1888 Idaho Cogswell was married to Nicholas Kizer Frazer, at her home just east of Thurston, and she moved to Pendleton, Oregon. July 1, 1889, her daughter, Eva, was born.

Six months later, January 28, 1890, her husband met a tragic death. (He was lost in the Blue Mountains and found frozen to death).

Mrs. Frazer and Eva returned to her father, who was then located on his ranch 25 miles east of Eugene. She remained there until she built her home at 252 Pearl St., Eugene, Oregon, in 1892.

February 6, 1897, she married Ira L. Campbell who was editor, publisher and co-owner (with his brother John) of the Daily Eugene Guard newspaper. Three children were born: Cogswell Frazer Campbell, February 19, 1898; Jackson Frazer Campbell, January 21, 1900; and (Catherine) Celeste Campbell, March 12, 1905.

Idaho had before this, become a charter member of the Eugene Fortnightly Club in 1893. She was also a member of the Eugene Shakespeare Club. She continued to take an active interest in local and national affairs.

In 1894, she and Eva spent several months in Chicago with her sister, Lischon Miller and a cousin Catherine Cogswell. She made a number of trips to visit her daughter, Eva, first in 1922 in Chicago and later in Madison, Wisconsin. She was proud of being the daughter of early Oregon pioneers and she never lost her love of Oregon's wonderful out-of-doors and nature.

The spirit of adventure stayed with her and perhaps the highlight of her life (not even climaxed by a trip to the Hawaiian Islands in 1931 with her daughter, Celeste) was on July 6, 1928, when she flew from San Francisco to Chicago in the regular Boeing Air Transport plane carrying U. S. Mail, with room for only two passengers. They flew in an open cockpit and took 24 hours for the trip. She was thrilled passing over the plains where her parents had crossed in covered wagons.

She died August 12, 1932, and was laid to rest in the Mary Gay Cogswell Pioneer Cemetery.

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